Abstract

This study was conducted to suggest the effective management and recycling processes of coffee waste, which can be easily obtained from coffee shops and coffee-related products industries. Prior to the fabrication of pellets, the potential of coffee waste as a raw material of pellet was investigated through the examination of its chemical compositions and fuel characteristics. Major gradient included in coffee waste was holocellulose, followed by fat/oil and protein. Coffee waste contained a small quantity of ash (0.7%), such as calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium. Interestingly, coffee waste was easily dried probably due to its porous structure. Pellets fabricated with coffee waste and larch sawdust showed good fuel characteristics, such as moisture content, ash content, density and durability. The pellets exceed greatly the minimum requirements of 1st-grade wood pellet standard designated by National Institute of Forest Science (NIFOS). Particularly, the high calorific value of coffee waste showed the potential as a raw material of pellet. However, owing to high nitrogen and sulfur contents, coffee waste is like to be used as a raw material of wood pellet for combined heat and power plants equipped with a reduction system of NOx and SOx gases. On the other hand, 91 wt% larch sawdust and 9 wt% coffee waste are required to fabricate the 1st-grade wood pellets designated by NIFOS. Pellets fabricated with the conditions are estimated to have nitrogen content of 0.298% and sulfur content of 0.03%. Lastly, if amounts of coffee waste and sawdust in the production of wood pellets are adequately adjusted according to its purchasing price, the manufacturing cost of pellet can effectively be reduced. In addition, it is expected tp prepare the effective recycling process of waste and to relieve the environmental burden with the reduction of waste from the commercialization of coffee waste/larch pellets.

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